White on Briscoe: Dedicated to education, glad to see young Hispanic Democratic leaders

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill White said by phone that when he ran for Houston mayor, “one of the first checks I ever got in for the maximum amount you could give was from Dolph Briscoe …. When I called to thank him, especially because he didn’t live in Houston, he told me it was just important that people with my background run for public office,” White said. He said Briscoe was referring to his business background.

White noted Briscoe’s commitment to education and to the farm to market road system.

“He was one of those people who didn’t believe in entitlements or handouts, but he believed that education was critical for opportunity and both as a young legislator and as governor stood up for public education,” White said.

White said that he and Briscoe “talked about the changing of the guard in Texas, and he was very proud of the new generation of young Hispanic leaders in South Texas who were traditional Texas Democrats like the governor (Briscoe) and me who believed in balanced budgets but that kids needed to be in school and learn a trade….In his commitment to education and opportunity for everybody, he was really ahead of his time.”